OPINION: House tax proposals will devastate hardworking Minnesotans

On April 15, Minnesota House Democrats unveiled a comprehensive tax increase proposal for the next two years. State Representative Greg Davids (R-Preston), who is the Republican lead on the Minnesota House Taxes Committee, said the bill represents the latest chapter in the House Democrats playbook called 'Taxes Gone Wild.'

"On the same day Minnesotans were forced to cut an income tax check to their government, House Democrats marked the occasion by unveiling a plan to force hardworking taxpayers to pay $2.6 billion more," Davids said.

"In order to fund their wasteful spending, this proposal would force massive job-killing tax increases on our business owners, and devastating regressive tax hikes on the poorest of the poor."

Davids said Minnesota business owners would be hardest hit through taxes on their income. The House Democrat plan would make Minnesota the state with the third highest income tax rate.

"Why would you start a business in Minnesota knowing that if you work hard and are successful, your state government will confiscate more of your money with some of the highest tax rates in the nation," Davids wondered.

Davids said the House Democrat proposal would also increase the cigarette tax from 48 cents to $2.83 a pack, and force a 50 percent increase in the alcohol tax. All Internet purchases would be subject to the sales tax as would sports memorabilia.

"House Republicans believe state government should not waste your money and should leave the hardworking taxpayers alone, and it's clear the House Democrats do not have the same priorities," Davids said.

Davids also noted that Destination Medical Center was also included in the proposal, though House Democrats forced the Rochester area to pay more than $60 million by allowing local governments to raise taxes without the public's consent.

"If the House Democrats want to horse around with the best state economic development bill we've seen in the last one hundred years, good luck to them," Davids said.

"With Democrats in charge of both houses of the Legislature and the Governor's Office, we'll all know who to blame when the proposal dies and the Mayo Clinic decides to expand in another state."